some good scarce waders at Werribee, Vic

Several good waders were found yesterday at the Western Treatment Plant by Bob Swindley and Danny Rogers, as part of our regular monitoring for Melbourne Water.  They included a Red-necked Phalarope and a Broad-billed Sandpiper at 85WC pond 9 (can be viewed from 280S road); another Broad-billed Sandpiper in the eastern 35E conservation pond, along with a Long-toed Stint and a Terek Sandpiper; a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Wood Sandpiper in the western 35E conservation pond; and another Pectoral Sandpiper in the T-section Lagoon.  Also 29 Magpie Geese at Paradise Road for good measure.  It's been some time since this many scarce waders were seen together on a single day, especially the freshwater species such as Long-toed Stint.  Most of the waders are feeding in conservation ponds, managed deliberately for wader habitat by Melbourne Water.   

Happy Christmas all!  Cheers, Richard.

Richard Loyn
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
Dept. Sustainability & Environment
PO Box 137 Heidelberg VIC 3084
ph [61] 03-9450 8703, switch 03-9450 8600, fax 03-9450 8799
email